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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28098132">Last Moments on Kobol</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anxiouslykitty/pseuds/Anxiouslykitty'>Anxiouslykitty</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Battlestar Galactica (2003)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cancer, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Kobol, One Shot, Pain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:02:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,410</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28098132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anxiouslykitty/pseuds/Anxiouslykitty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened after the arrow took them to Earth?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>William Adama/Laura Roslin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Last Moments on Kobol</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Laura came around she was lying on a stone floor looking up at the roof of a cave. Her body felt stiff and she groaned as she tried to move.  It didn’t take long for the memory of Kara placing the arrow and them being transported to Earth to come back to her.  She felt a hand on her arm and she looked up at Billy who was kneeling next to her.</p><p> </p><p>“Madam President are you alright” Billy asked.</p><p> </p><p>She could hear Lee and Kara asking the Commander if he was okay.  She tried to sit up but found that she was in too much pain to move on her own.  Alot of it felt like the pain she was accustomed to from the cancer, but some of it was new pain.  She looked at Billy and he gently helped her to sit up allowing her to lean some of her weight on him once she was seated.</p><p> </p><p>“I think I’m okay Billy” Laura replied.  “Are you okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, mam” Billy replied.</p><p> </p><p>Laura looked across the tomb to where Lee was helping his father stand from the ground.  The Commander staggered a bit, but regained his balance well.  Kara and Lee followed him as he walked towards her.  She wanted to be able to stand and be on the same level as him, but she knew that her body wasn’t quite strong enough to get up on her own.  </p><p> </p><p>“Madam President,” Bill said, looking down at Laura.  “Laura” Bill questioned, offering her his hand.</p><p> </p><p>Laura reached her hand up and let Bill grab it in his own.  He extended his other hand so that he had both her hands in his.  Billy got behind her and helped Bill pull Laura up onto her feet.  Laura tried not to be embarrassed that it took two people to help her from the ground, but she felt like she was failing.  Once she was on her feet she stumbled and Billy grabbed her arm to hold her up.  She leaned on Billy and looked at the ground.  They followed the other three out of the tomb.  She kept her eyes on the ground until they got out with the larger group.  There she smiled and thanked the others and listened as Kara explained what they had seen. </p><p> </p><p>Unbeknownst to them they had been inside the tomb for quite a long time and it was now almost dark.  It wasn’t safe to be wandering around in the dark so Lee and Bill made the decision that they would make camp for the night and would make their way back to where the raptor could pick them up in the morning.  They split into small groups within the camp.  Lee and Kara shared a tarp,  Helo Agathon and the cylon Sharon shared another, Billy reluctantly stayed with the Chief and Zarek, leaving Laura and Bill to share a tarp.  </p><p> </p><p>Billy had been reluctant to leave Laura but she had insisted that she would be fine with the Commander if anything were to happen.  Even through the relative darkness she could see Billy glancing over from where he was laying to make sure that she was okay.  She appreciated that he cared as much as he did.  She worried when he wouldn’t come with her to Kobol that he didn’t care about her, but now she could see that he really did care about her more than as just his boss. </p><p> </p><p>“Laura” Bill questioned.</p><p> </p><p>His voice drew her out of her thoughts and she looked over at the man sitting next to her.  She gave him a small smile that she hoped made up for the fact that he had obviously been talking to her and she had missed all of it.  It was surprising to her how comfortable she felt around him when just a few days ago they had still been enemies. She’s not sure she would truly call them enemies, but they were certainly not on the same side.  She had never felt happier to see him than when he appeared behind the tarp earlier.  To see him doing so well after he had been shot made her heart happy.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry I was preoccupied,” Laura replied.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you in pain” Bill asked.</p><p> </p><p>Looking into his eyes Laura could see the concern.  Bill’s hard exterior was washed away by the care and sadness that his eyes reflected.  It made her want to be honest with him when in general she tried to keep everything close to her chest.  Now that everyone knew about her cancer she felt like she wanted to be able to talk to someone about what she was going through.  She knew that the general public had to believe that she was just as strong as before no matter that she was dying, but perhaps she could talk to Bill more honestly.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m…” Laura cleared her throat. “Yes. I have pills in my bag, but I don’t think I can get them.”</p><p> </p><p>She looked down at her hands in her lap. Since Lee had put up the tarp and set up the sleeping area for her and Bill she had been leaning against the tree their tarp was attached to.  She didn’t know when she stopped being able to hold herself up and began needing the tree to keep her upright.  Her whole body ached and the lump in her breast shot pain through her body.  She wanted to cry, but she didn’t want the others to know how weak she was.</p><p> </p><p>Without hesitation Bill moved to her bag and brought it over with him.  He sat down close to her side and opened the bag so that she could reach inside.  When it was obvious that she was in too much pain to lift her arm to root around in the bag he looked to her for approval. She nodded at him and he dug through her bag and grabbed the pill bottle that was in there.  </p><p> </p><p>“How many” Bill asked, opening the bottle.</p><p> </p><p>“Two” Laura replied.</p><p> </p><p>Bill poured two pills into his hand before he closed the bottle.  He then grabbed his canteen and took the lid off.  </p><p> </p><p>“Can you take them yourself” Bill asked.</p><p> </p><p>Laura was so embarrassed she wanted to cry.  The only other person she had let see her this weak was Billy.  She had sent him away because she thought she would be okay, but she hadn’t taken into account that she might be in this much pain.  Now she wanted to send Bill away and ask for Billy to come back.  She couldn’t do that though because then the others would know how weak she really was.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t have to be embarrassed around me,” Bill encouraged.</p><p> </p><p>Laura looked up at Bill and slowly extended her hand for the pills.  Her hand shook as he placed the pills in her hands.  With great effort she brought the pills to her mouth and pushed them in.  Bill didn’t even ask before lifting the canteen to her mouth and tipping it to allow her to drink some water.  She swallowed the pills and coughed.  Bill put the canteen back to her lips and helped her to swallow another gulp of water.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank You Bill” Laura whispered.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you always in this much pain” Bill asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Not always” Laura explained.  “At least not this much pain.  I’ve been limiting the amount of pills I’ve been taking because I knew I might run out before I could be back in a position to get more.”</p><p> </p><p>“Laura” Bill said in a disappointed tone.</p><p> </p><p>Laura looked away from Bill and out over to the other tarps.  She watched Kara and Lee snuggled close together talking to each other.  She couldn’t quite make sense of their relationship, but something about the way they looked together made her happy.  She owed them both a great deal and she hoped that before she died she would be able to give them something in return.  </p><p> </p><p>“Would you like to lay down” Bill asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I’m very tired,” Laura replied.</p><p> </p><p>Bill folded up an extra shirt to make a small pillow and then pulled the sleeping bag from his pack.  He slowly untied Laura’s boots and placed them to the side of the tarp.  He pulled the sleeping bag up her legs so that her lower half was in the sleeping bag.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay put your arms around my neck” Bill instructed.</p><p> </p><p>Bill wrapped his arms around her under her arms and she used all her energy to wrap her arms around his neck and hold on.  With some awkwardness Bill lifted Laura a little off of the ground and scooted her away from the tree.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re going to have to hold on a little tighter this time,” Bill instructed.</p><p> </p><p>Laura gripped a little harder and winced through the pain.  Bill lifted her again with one arm while his other arm pulled the sleeping bag up further so that when she laid down it could be pulled up to her neck.  When he set her back down and started to pull away Laura groaned in pain as her arms fell from his neck.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay” Bill asked, holding her waist with both hands.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m okay” Laura replied, giving him a small smile.</p><p> </p><p>Placing the makeshift pillow behind her Bill slowly helped Laura lay herself down.  Once she was laying down he pulled the sleeping bag up and tucked her in nicely.  She laid there and let the pain pills slowly take the edge off while she listened to Bill rustle around making himself comfortable next to her.  She assumed he had gotten her sleeping bag and was using it for himself as he had put her in his.  </p><p> </p><p>“You’re shaking are you okay” Bill asked his voice closer to her than she expected.</p><p> </p><p>Laura turned her head and looked into Bill’s face.  He was laying down less than a foot away from her.  She hadn’t realized he had gotten that close, but she didn’t mind. She didn’t realize she was shaking, but now that he said so she noticed that her body was trembling.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you cold” Bill asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know,” Laura replied. “I think I’m tired and…”</p><p> </p><p>“Laura” Bill questioned.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m…” Laura mumbled.</p><p> </p><p>Her mind was fussy and her body trembled.  She felt Bill’s arms come around her and pull her into his body.  He helped her to rest her head gently on his chest careful to avoid what she believed was where he got shot.  He rolled her on her side against his body and held her tightly to him.  The warmth from his body soaked through her sleeping bag and into her body.  She felt a moan escape her body and she blushed. </p><p> </p><p>“Does it hurt” Laura asked quietly.</p><p> </p><p>She watched Bill run a hand lightly from his abdomen to his chest in front of her face.  She pulled her left hand out of her sleeping bag and rested it gently on the center of Bill’s chest.  He grabbed her hand lightly.</p><p> </p><p>“It hurts a little,” Bill replied.  “It’s not that bad now.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry” Laura whispered.</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you sorry” Bill asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I know what it’s like to be in pain and still have to be strong for everyone else” Laura explained.  “Now you’ve had to do that for me and I feel bad.”</p><p> </p><p>Tears began to roll down across her face and onto Bill’s chest.  She hadn’t let herself truly cry infront of anyone in a long time.  Even when Elosha died and she felt such despair she wouldn’t let herself cry in front of Lee.  Now though she felt so comfortable with Bill that all of her walls had collapsed and her emotions were running out of control. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m honored that you would trust me to see you at your most vulnerable” Bill encouraged.  “I’m happy to help you if I can.  We’re going to have to help each other in order to get these kids to Earth.  We both know that we don’t have the luxury of letting other people see us at our weakest.  So maybe we can be that for each other sometimes.  Nobody has to know what we’re really feeling and we can both lead our people to Earth.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m going to die, Bill” Laura whimpered.</p><p> </p><p>“Then we’ll find Earth before you do,” Bill said sternly.</p><p> </p><p>Laura sniffled and buried her face a little further into the side of Bill’s chest.  She felt him tighten his grip on her and she appreciated it.  Just for tonight perhaps she could let herself forget all of the responsibilities she had and just enjoy the peace of being in someone's arms.  She knew Bill wasn’t judging her and that he wouldn’t tell anyone how weak she was.  Tonight they were just Laura and Bill and she was glad for that.  Before she knew it she was drifting off to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>When Laura opened her eyes again it was light out.  She was warm and comfortable and she realized she was still laying on Bill’s chest.  His arm was still around her and the other still held hers on his chest.  She shifted slightly so that she could look up at Bill’s face and could see he was still asleep.  A small sound just outside of the tarp alerted her to someone’s presence. She looked over to see Billy standing outside the tarp looking at the two of them.  </p><p> </p><p>“Can I get you anything Madam President” Billy asked quietly.</p><p> </p><p>Laura gently shook her head so as not to wake the man she was entwined with.  Billy gave her a small smile and reached up and adjusted the tarp so that it slipped down on the side facing the rest of the tarps.  With the adjustment it blocked Laura and Bill from the rest of the group.  She could see through the gap at the bottom that Billy moved a few feet from the tarp and sat down against another tree.  He was just outside of the range where he could hear them if they talked quietly, but close enough that if she needed him she could call him and he would come.  She knew he had done it deliberately and she appreciated his loyalty.  She let herself relax against Bill again and waited for him to wake up.  She knew they would get to Earth with him leading, even if she wasn’t there to see it. </p>
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